Wide receiver Dez Bryant participated in his first practice with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday after signing a one-year contract with the team, and he's eager to contribute to an explosive offense.

Bryant was released in the offseason following the third year of a five-year, $70-million contract signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2015. The three-time Pro Bowler's prolonged free agency generated plenty of discussion. However, Bryant insists he's not concerned about his public image, even after calling out his former team on Twitter.

"I'm going to always be me," Bryant said, per Mouton. "I'm not a bad guy. I've always been a good guy, you can ask my teammates."

The Saints face off against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10, but head coach Sean Payton said it's too early to determine whether Bryant will make his debut on Sunday.

"He's a little heavy and that's pretty common," Payton said, according to NFL.com's Herbie Teope. "I'd think probably five pounds without having gone through a training camp. We felt like he did a number of things that we liked in the workout. We'll begin that process today."